As the news of the cyber attack on Yahoo which stole information on one billion customers today sinks in , BAE Systems has announced it has taken on apprentices for its cyber security business.

In fact one third of the 235 graduate taken on next year will be on the computer systems protection team.

Besides those 80 graduates, a further 54 will be recruited for the Company’s Military Air and Information business in Lancashire.

Another 11 graduates will join Head Office. Nine graduates will join the Electronic Systems business in Rochester, Kent and four will join the Land Systems business to work at Telford in Shropshire and Glascoed in Wales.

The 80 cyber security graduates will join the Applied Intelligence business based at sites in London, Guildford and Leeds, whose employees support governments and businesses around the world to defend themselves against the growing threat of digital crime, cyber-attacks, fraud and financial crime.

Today’s announcement follows an online survey conducted by BAE Systems which found that 57 per cent of business heads surveyed said they had experienced a cyber-attack in the last year, despite believing the appropriate security controls were in place.

Ben Gummer MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office, who oversees the Government’s cyber security strategy, said: “Cyber-attacks are a reality and they are happening every day. The first duty of the Government is to keep the nation safe.

“Any modern state cannot remain secure and prosperous without securing itself in cyberspace. So it is hugely encouraging to see such a drive on securing the skills and talent we will need to continue this fight in the future.”

“Each year we invest around £90m in a programme of education and skills initiatives, from world class employee training programmes to a nationwide schools roadshow with the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.

“All the graduates joining BAE Systems in 2017 will have unrivalled opportunities ahead of them, playing a crucial part in developing, building and supporting the cutting-edge products that will help safeguard national security for years to come.”